Teen supermodel Veronica is here

JAKARTA (JP): International beauties are on the rise here, as teen supermodel Veronica Blume arrived yesterday, following an earlier short stop by top model Cindy Crawford and the current visit by Miss Universe 1994, Sushmita Shen.

The Spanish-German Veronica, invited as a guest star to Wednesday's finals of the Indonesian models contest, is here for a three-day visit and also hopes to visit Bali.

At a press meeting at the Kartika Chandra Hotel here Veronica was accompanied by Cece Coffin, a representative of Ford Models Inc., a New York-based agency of the U.S.

The winner of the contest, organized by the Jakarta Program Foundation, which was founded by noted businessman Sudwikatmono, will represent Indonesia in the finals of the World Supermodel 1994 contest to be held in Hawaii this September.

Sharing tips with local models, 17-year-old Veronica said that success in the modeling world requires intelligence, the capacity to direct oneself as a businessperson, lots of plain water and no red meat.

Modeling, she said, "is not just going out there and smiling."

She explained that models must know who they are dealing with.

"You are the director of your own business...it takes intelligence to make decisions," said Veronica, adding that a model also needs the full support of her family.

Top models from Ford Models Inc. include the 1970s Candice Bergen and today's movie star Sharon Stone, as well as current world models Naomi Campbell and Cindy Crawford. Crawford visited Jakarta last month as a guest star to the finals of advertising models.

Dressed in a simple black dress and light make-up, Veronica, currently modeling for Guess jeans, said so far her busy life outside her native Barcelona, Spain, cannot accommodate steady dates, "but I have a lot of close friends."

The high school graduate has already made a few decisions regarding the future -- studying acting and having a "normal" spouse, not a celebrity.

She envisions life is "difficult for a couple of two famous people...you always have to try to prevent fights over who is better. The press is always around..."

Coffin also reminded the audience that the most difficult part of a model's life comes after ending a contract as the supermodel title holder, and establishing one's portfolio.

Designer Ghea Sukarya, who attended the press meeting, said many Indonesians have the potential to enter the international scope of modeling, "but they have few opportunities." (anr)